This is a special Sunday edition of SJI’s open forum. Any topic is fair game. What’s on your mind?
PS: If you are having difficulty posting, please email me directory: eric[at]boulevards.com.
San Jose Inside
San Jose Inside (https://www.sanjoseinside.com)
Today’s Scott Herhold’s column with back room comments from his buddy Tom McEnery –
– starts long good bye to Police Chief Rob Davis, death by thousand cuts from Merky News driven by anger over losing police public records vote, biased unethical reporting, fuzzy math, + political elections soon
– next up, hand picked new Police Chief who will not – stand up to City Manager’s staff and budget cuts, defend many innocent officers + kiss anti police groups butts
– demoralized officers retire or join SJ officers at other departments = less officers + slow or more no service call responses = increased crime + more unsafe SJ
How can the San Jose Mercury ignore the findings of a study that came out showing that SJPD shows no pattern of racial bias in people that are arrested? Even if the Mercury disagrees with the findings don’t they have some journalistic obligation to report these findings? The San Jose Mercury always screams for accountability in the police department but where is the accountability in not prining the other side of this issue? The Mercury is dying because of a complete lack of credibility as demonstrated by not reporting both sides of an issue.
“Report: No bias in San Jose police arrests
SAN JOSE—A group of independent researchers is saying their research shows no pattern of bias by San Jose Police in their arresting of Hispanic suspects.
The preliminary findings by the Consortium for Police Leadership in Equity run direclety counter to a series of articles in the Mercury News that conclude San Jose Police Arrest Hispanics at a much higher rate than other ethnic groups.
Speaking yesterday before a City Council Committee, UCLA social scientist Phillip Goff said the consortium has reviewed 10 years of police records.
While labeling the findings “preliminary,” Goff also said “on the surface of it, there doesn’t seem to be a pattern of bias” by the police.
http://kliv.com/Report—No-bias-in-San-Jose-police-arrests/5724318”
1. San Jose will be the site of professional football as the Redwoods will come to Spartan Stadium.
2. On the 49ers front, the Planning Commission approved a recommendation to send the EIR to the Council with a recommendation to approve. There were serious questions with regards to traffic and parking, and the Airport Land Use Commission approved the project with a detailed list of recommendations. Some disgruntled person who ran around the county predicting the ALUC would block the stadium did not even choose to appear when the ALUC was read into the record and most planners confirmed that his complaints were spurrious and the result of a disgruntled person seeking attention.
3. We at the Lantern have always said there were legitimate concerns about the stadium, we even posted for months copies of reports and copies of letters to the editor critical of the stadium. There are some very important city commissioners who do not favor the effort. These voices are often blocked by a myraid of local gadflys who have never contributed anything to the community and remain fat political cockroaches who twiddle their fingers at people at meetings, say nothing, and have links to some groups advocating the end of affordable housing.
4. San Jose planners have concerns about the Tasman corridor and this has to be addressed.
5. Curiously, there has been a break in the effort to oppose the stadium as one of the leaders of the anti stadium movement drove away some former city council candidates who opposed the stadium because he made a well known local crank a leader in his organization. This person attends San Jose City Council meetings and has been known to yell at Reed and help Gabbert (not sure of the spelling) bring in pales of dirt to meetings. The decision to give this individual who has even spoken out in favor of shooting police officers, a place in the leadership of Santa Clara Plays Fair, has cost them credibility.
6. The Santa Clara Stadium will be a boon to Santa Clara and San Jose, a needed stimulus, and with SB 43, a vote of the public has been mandated thanks to Senator Alquist who fought for citizen participation in the process and got it by state law. The transit lines from VTA will get a boost with the project, and it remains the best idea for the county since Silicon Valley. Tony D is right in fighting for a South Bay Sports Corridor.
Your blog is now more pathetic than your desire to handicap Santa Clara just to pretend you’re San Francisco (and now Oakland) eight days a year. The anti-stadium group may be heavy-handed but at least they aren’t starstruck drones.
Legend of Phil Bump Returns
Listen children to a story that was written long ago
’Bout a sniveling political tramp with little morals or scruples
Needing Cindy to pay for his medical pot ‘scrip he got for halitosis
Worked for labor but never had a real job.
Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and slam on a blog
Do it in the name of Chavez, you can justify it in the end.
There won’t be any trumpets blowing come the judgement day.
On the bloody morning after Phil runs away.
So the people of the valley sent a messaage on San Jose Inside
Asking Pulcrano to chroncile the fraud of Bumpgate
Came an answer from Central Labor, Phil tookl the money in the envelope
All the secrets of Alamaden, all the riches buried there.”
Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and slam on a blog
Do it in the name of Chavez, you can justify it in the end.
There won’t be any trumpets blowing come the judgement day.
On the bloody morning after Phil runs awat.
Now the Metro and all cried in anger, NO MORE BUMPGATE
And they OUTED BUMP WHILE HE WHINED LIKE A LITTLE GIRL
Now they stood beside the treasure on the mountain, dark and red
Turned the stone and looked beneath it “Peace on Earth” was all it said.
Go ahead and hate your neighbor, go ahead and slam on a blog
Do it in the name of heaven, you can justify it in the end.
Talk about secret money, and then take your blood money in cash
On the bloody morning after Phil Bump runs away.
Am I supposed to pretend I am a city??
Heavy handed? A guy who says killing cops is justified?
Star Struck?
Yep, I always thought Willie Mays was great. I also admit that I admire Mike Singletary for mentoring an autistic kid at the Shrine Game. Nammy likes to kick them.
Uh, what? I hope the rest of the pro-stadium campaign is as articulate as you. That should go a long way to convincing the voters of Santa Clara that….you’re crazy.
I think Nammy when your nose flares like that it makes you more precious and pretty.
I looked at “The Lantern” and came away with the feeling it is written by an immature teenager.
The whole blog is devoted to calling the Santa Clara Plays Fair people bad names.
Was the stuff about higher education about the stadium, or is Namo on thr crack pipe again?
Wow, one break in the monotony and it’s suddenly balanced reporting on all things Santa Clara? A majority of the Lantern blog is still directed at discrediting a couple guys leading SCPF.
Maybe not pretending you are a city, but you certainly do pretend you are a “we.”
Expecting the Murky to be fair, accurately report both sides of a story, not inflame people with bad reporting, unbiased and not push their twisted agenda will not happen
Your choice 1) Cancel your subscription, many others have or 2) your money supports them doing more harm to San Jose
Read Opposing Views by SJSU student journalist for balanced reporting
http://www.protectsanjose.com/blogs/1-default/136-opposing-views
Repeat after me: “The Merc is nothing but fish wrap… the Merc is nothing but fish wrap…”.
what have you got against fish that you would wrap them in that rag?
The Merc can also be used for lining bird cages.
I have noticed, though, that using the OP ED pages for bird cages tends to cause bird diarrhea.
I would like to appeal to drivers to endeavor to practice this bit of driving courtesy;
When you’re in the right lane and you have to stop for a red light, to the extent that it is practical and safe, please squeeze over to the left as much as possible to allow space for those behind you who are making a right hand turn, to get between you and the curb and proceed on their way.
Thank You
While we’re on driving courtesy: If you are stopped at an intersection and are intending to turn left when your light goes green, put your blinker on BEFORE your light turns green, to allow others to move into the right lane if there is one, or stop far enough behind you to go around you while you wait for oncoming traffic to clear.
And, if you are signalling to change lanes, do it BEFORE you’re actually half way into the adjacent lane, cutting off a hapless driver. I actually saw an SJ cop do this today N/B on 87 near the Santa Clara Street exit. He was half way into the lane left of him before he signalled. But that’s better than most cops, who NEVER SIGNAL a lane change or a turn.
And, if you are turning left to an intersecting street, creep out into that street as soon as the light turns green. That way, if there are other cars behind you wishing to turn left as well, they may get a chance to do before the light turns red and only your selfish, clueless as got through.
While we’re on driving courtesy: Get OFF your cell phone and pay attention to the road! Thank you.
And for you pedestrians, especially teenagers, there is a reason for cross walks! Crossing in the middle of the street and walking so slowly you could go back in time doesn’t prove you’re tough, it proves you’re ignorant and arrogant enough to think you are invincible to being hit and killed by someone who doesn’t see you crossing where you shouldn’t be. Parents, please talk to your teens about this! Hitting and injuring, or killing a child who is trying to look cool to his or her friends is not something anyone wants to live with. Thank you.
That add of the fat lady getting thin that pops up to the left of our posts is the MOST ANNOYING GODDAMN AD EVER. Please lose it.
Gosh, and I was wondering if she might be “available.”
John, watch your language.
I don’t think you misses any meals.
no, I don’t ‘misses” any meals.
Been on hiatus but I am back with my scrip for medical pot to cure my toenail fungus.
John eats whatever redhots he does not sell, but with glutton free buns
so his personal buns are still pinchy.
Hmmmm. Whatever happened to global warming?
Ever since the University of East Anglia WHISTLEBLOWER (maliciously described in the dominant media as a “hacker”)exposed the mammoth scientific fraud and deceit at the university Climatic Research Unit (CRU), the whole topic of global warming seems to have disappeared from the pages of the Mercury News.
I guess the Merc is reserving it’s valuable newsprint column inches for reports of they latest boob job on the celebrity boob of the moment.
” Amid mounting allegations of excessive police force, San Jose officials have agreed to pay a tire store owner and his nephew $97,500 to settle a lawsuit stemming from a 2006 confrontation that escalated from a minor traffic incident into an international dispute over officers’ treatment of Latinos.
The San Jose City Council Tuesday is expected to formally approve the settlement with businessman Ascencion Calderon and his nephew Samuel Santana. The pact had been tentatively approved in an earlier closed council session.
Reached at his Bascom Avenue shop, Calderon, 68, said he wanted to put the case behind him, but the settlement hasn’t repaired his trust in police.
“Before, I trusted the police, every officer,” Calderon said, at times with a son translating from Spanish. “Now, you never know what kind of person that officer is. I accept the settlement. But it’s not satisfying to me completely. The damage they did to me was pretty bad.”
The settlement — similar in size to others the city has reached in recent years to resolve major civil suits — comes as officials confront criticism over use of force in arrests involving relatively minor offenses and residents from immigrant communities. “
Perhaps if Senor Calderon (who has been in the USA HOW LONG?) had bothered to learn English, he might have avoided the problem.
Hey, John Michael
Usted es tonto y calvo.
Un poco calvo, si; tonto, no. Cuando un hombre vive y trabaja en Los Estados Unidos por muchos anos, él debería aprender el inglés.
SJI Readers,
If you’d like to give input on Police practices to the Consortium in San Jose you can contact:
Kimberly Barsamian Kahn, the CPLE Site Coordinator for San Jose at [email protected].
And Dr. Goff. He has repeatedly assured people that he encourages their participation and he will not reveal the names of the individuals he has spoken with. If the individual is a member of a group he has worked with he may reveal the name of the group, but not the individual member. Dr. Goff has provided his direct email at [email protected].
Also regarding the hiring of the new IPA. If you want to give input:
The City is currently in the process of recruiting and selecting a new Independent Police Auditor. Because the IPA plays a significant role in bridging communication between the community and the San José Police Department, it is important that the community provide input regarding the qualities of the new IPA they believe are essential. Recent events have revealed that while the responsibilities of the position are mandated by City Charter there is a desire in the community to strengthen and expanded this relationship and to participate in the selection process of the new auditor. Avery Associates, the executive search firm conducting the recruitment, has set up an email address to invite community input; this email address is: [email protected].
Here is an interesting Editorial by Raj on the CPLE. I find it very odd that a guy who was invited to participate in the CPLE study to submit his own facts and stats for consideration by said researchers, who always uses and relies on the skewed stats from the Merc to protest at City Hall and write tripe like this, who walked off a Task Force because inserting his own personal agenda didn’t fly, who fought for Attard to get more power and a Charter change, and now denounces the IPA’s Office in favor of a Citizen Oversight Committee, would write this hypocritical perspective on something he refuses to participate in! I’d love to hear your thoughts on his commentary. The guy just doesn’t get it.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/12/01/18631115.php
Does anyone know how to smuggle information INTO the Mercury News?
I’m beginning to worry that the “editors” and mass communications drones at the Murk might be in danger of asphyxiation from lack of fresh air or scurvy due to lack of vitamin D from sunlight.
It has now been ELEVEN DAYS since news of Climategate raced around the world . . .
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/11/19/breaking-news-story-hadley-cru-has-apparently-been-hacked-hundreds-of-files-released/
and yet the Murk-izens seem not to have detected any disturbances in the force.
Even Wikipedi has noticed:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climatic_Research_Unit_e-mail_hacking_incident
At some point, we need to contact the SJPD and request a welfare check for our local commercial scribblers.
They’re too busy with TigerGate
The Mercury also failed to publish the results of a task force appointed by the city council which showed SJPD shows no racial bias in the arrests it makes. If the results had shown the SJPD did show racial bias you can bet it would have made the headlines. The Mercury has turned into a left wing rag with little objectivity or journalistic responsibility.
Steve,
I think the Santa Clara Weekly would agree with you!
http://scw.tearn.com/2009/12/milestoneds-12209.html
Permission granted!!!
The Noo Yawk Times has now published an article on Climategate in its Science section.
YAYY!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/science/01tier.html?_r=3
That means that the mass communications interns at the Mercury News now have permission to also publish a story on Climategate.
It really kind of sucks living way out here in the sticks and getting the news a week or two later than the rest of the civilized world.
Well, since a well informed public is the cornerstone of democracy, let’s take a look at today’s Murky News and see what is one the minds of the thought leaders of our advanced civilization:
Page 1: “Top 10 Facebook Games”. Entertainment. OK
Page 2: “Attractive teen voted in as new Victoria’s Secret model”. Art and culture. OK
Page A4: “Party crasher went to event for cheer squad”. Hard news. OK
Page A10: “Giant carp sparks demand to close down waterway”. Icthyology. OK
Page A14: “Beyonce proves leader of the Grammy pack”. Politics. OK
Page C1: “Tiger sorry for ‘transgressions’. Zoology and morality. OK.
Oh, look!! There’s even some “global warming” news:
Page B2: “California Climate Change: Google tool lets users see for themselves”.
“Interactive feature shows effects of altered weather.”
Hmmmm. Nothing about an interactive feature that shows the effects of altered data.